Sarah Williams
Summer Reading
Fault in Our Stars
Fault in Our Stars was written by John Green. He got the title from William Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar. The Quote is, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." (I,II,139-140). Green admits in an interview that books and symbolism aren't supposed to be separated; therefore there is plenty of symbolism in this book. One of the top symbolisms would be the title and its meaning.
The Phrase that John Green Uses, that was originally by Shakespeare means that it isn't fate but our actions that lead us to the decisions that we make. In other words, our luck is actually bad luck. John Green could have made it that title for many reasons. Hazel's zodiac sign is Cancer, and it just so happens she ends up with a type of cancer. Since her star sign could've caused it – which is a type of fault – it could be the reason for the name of the title. Another reason could be, throughout the whole book there are many quotations based off of stars. A popular one would be, "My thoughts are like stars, but I can't fathom them to constellations."
When he altered it to read, "The Fault in Our Stars." It's shorter and easier way of reading what Shakespeare had to say. The fault isn't ourselves, but the choices we make, that then mold us to make ourselves. Another way of putting it is, is like star crossed lovers, only instead of an actual human keeping them apart, it is the thing that that people fear most in life; which would be death. He didn't want to change the meaning and symbolism behind the actual wording, but he wanted his readers to understand and comprehend that there is always a deeper meaning behind every line.
Shakespeare's meaning is that man dooms themselves with their own wrongs, by their fate. Meaning men are the cause of their own stupidity. Whereas, John Green had a different interpretation. He suggests that anything that is wrong can be avoided before it is actually wrong. Giving humans a full responsibility to everything they do, such as their actions. When you make the choice, it cannot be changed but learned from. Hazel and Augustus didn't wake up one morning and say, "God I want cancer today." But, they learned from it. They learned that, yes it is a fault in them, and that is something they cannot change. That being said they also learned not to let this fault in them define who they are. That there will always be a battle, but it is your option to give up and let it defeat you or keep fighting it until you've won. You decide everything in your life, not fate.
In conclusion, John Green's Fault in Our Stars is full of great symbolism. Although, Shakespeare was a reason for the title, Green didn't go with his point of view on it. Instead he went with his own version and gave it a whole new meaning. I personally like his meaning more than Shakespeare's, but I (we) have to give him the credit.
Sources:
"Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
shakespeare-quotes/fault-dear-brutus-our-stars
/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/# symbols